Jail birds
by ImogenHoney
Summary: What would happen if they did arrest Tasha at the end of Captain America 2? Avengers meet OITNB
1. The Arrest

'Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth?'

'I do.' Tasha found it ironic that they made her swear over a bible. After everything she had done, it would not be god she should fear, but rather the opposite.

'Why haven't we yet heard from Captain Rogers?' the committee leader began.

Tasha sighed. _Here we go_. She didnt know where Steve was, but they didnt know that. Lucky for her, they would just think she was being annoying.

'I don't know what's left left for him to say. I think the rock in the middle of the Potomac made his point fairly eloquently.'

'Well, he could explain how this country's expected to maintain its national security now that he and you have laid waste our intelligence apparatus.'

_You're the ones charged with running the country, not him. You figure it out_, she thought.

Instead, she said, 'HYDRA was selling you lies, not intelligence.'

'Many of which you seem to have had a personal hand in telling.'

'Agent, you should know that there are some on this committee who feel, given your service record, both for this country and against it, that you belong in a penitentiary, not mouthing off on Capitol Hill.' Tasha ground her teeth, but didnt say anything. It was her, after all, that released that information.

'You're not gonna put me in a prison. You're not gonna put any of us in a prison. You know why?'

'Do enlighten us.' The man asked, smugly

'Because you need us. Yes, the world is a vulnerable place, and yes, we helped make it that way. But we're also the ones best qualified to defend it. So if you want to arrest me, arrest me. You'll know where to find me.'

Tasha had lied, it's what she does, and an oath over a bible wasn't going to change that. The truth was, they were going to arrest her. They knew it, she knew it, they just didnt know she knew.

As they placed the handcuffs on her wrists, Tasha rolled her eyes at the triumph on their faces. 'They had caught the infamous Black Widow.' No, she was just coming quietly.

* * *

><p>Maria stepped out into the cold, New York, evening air, and pulled her jacket tighter around herself. She noticed movement behind her, and she sped up, pulling out her phone. She looked to her left, and saw something lurking in the shadows. <em>Would these people never leave her alone?<em>, she thought.

Just as she was about to turn on her phone to alert Stark, she heard a 'Freeze!' Maria Hill paused, and turned to the call. Standing in front of her, stood the commanding officer of the police force that had been previously sent to protect her.

'Looks like everybody is changing sides these days,' She muttered to herself. She raised her hands, now surrounded but 10 men, each carrying a sidearm. At least they didnt doubt her abilities, she thought with a smug smile.

She didnt let the smirk drop as they read her rights, cuffed her, and sent into the back of a police car. She knew it unnerved them, and, well, she liked to mess with them. They were arresting her after all, although, they werent doing a very good job. It was almost like they were begging her to escape, but she didnt. She had nothing to hide.

The drive to the Police station was uneventful. Maria sat in the back, quietly humming to herself, only to unnerve them further. It was working, they had placed Maria in the back with two other police officers, and as she hummed, she saw both their hands, straying to their guns, as if expecting an attack. She let out a low chuckle, before she went back to humming for the rest of the drive.

Once they reached the station, she was taken immediately by 3 men to the cells, where she was promptly locked inside. Maria sat on the bare bed in her cell and began to hum again.

She heard a laugh from the cell next to hers, and then a familiar voice.

'I see you've been scaring the officers. I forgot you used to do that.'

Maria looked at the cell next to hers and squinted in the dark light. She could just see a slim woman, mirroring her position in her own cell.

'Natasha Romanov, what did you do?!'

* * *

><p>Tasha chuckled again, before replying, 'Nothing! I might of heard that they were planning your arrest and I figured you could use the company.'<p>

Maria could practically feel the grin radiating from Tasha.

'Who'd you hear it from? About my arrest, I would have figured that was top secret.'

'Well you do think highly of yourself, don't you?' Tasha teased.

'You know what I mean.' she grumbled.

Tasha relented. 'I tapped into the committee's calls days ago, heard them discussing it with the head of the force. He, by the way, seemed reluctant. Anyway, a few well placed words to the committee, you know, undermine their authority, annoying levels of arrogance, and I end up right here beside you.'

Maria sighed, before asking, 'And for what, because I could use the company?'

'Why is that so hard to believe? You are actually fun to be around, and this way, the government is actually protecting me from my enemies. And besides, you wouldn't last long without ordering someone about, and I don't want to to tell Fury why his favorite minion broke,' Tasha said, starting off serious, before ending with a tease.

Maria laughed, before asking, 'So, when are we gonna get out of here?'

'Oh Maria, so eager to become fugitives. Let's chill for a while, have a rest from all the chaos.'

Maria gave Natasha a glare.

'Tasha. Hydra-'

'Is not our problem.' Tasha finished. 'For once, it is not your job to clean up Fury's mess! The rest of the team are out there, they can handle it without us. And like a said, when they need us, they know where to find us. Think of it as a holiday, a little hiatus before we go back to kicking butt.'

'You know, most people go somewhere sunny on holiday.'

'And when have we ever been most people?'

'Good point.' Maria conceded

'This will be fun, trust me. Besides, I always wanted to get a prison bitch.'

* * *

><p><strong>Hey, guys, this idea came to me, and i just had to write it. The first part is taken from Captain America 2, and yeah, this is just my idea of what could have happened. its gonna be a little bit, Avengers meet OITNB.<strong>

**I hope you like it, and yeah send me a review if you like, or you know, if you don't. Either way, send a review, i love hearing from you guys :)**


	2. Litchfield

It was before their trial, Maria and Tasha were talking to their lawyer.

'I want you to stay quiet. It's going to take the impossible to win this trial.'

Tasha smirked. If only she knew. Tasha took a piece of paper and scribbled something on it.

'Hey,' she interrupted the lawyer. 'Do you have any lipstick?'

The lawyer muttered something to herself that sounded like 'Are you kidding me?' before reaching into her purse, and handing Tasha a deep red lipstick.

'What are you doing? Is now really the time?' Maria questioned, whilst Tasha grinned.

'You'll see.' Applying the lipstick, Tasha puckered her lips. They turned a dark red, and highlighted her hair. Tasha then pressed her lips to the paper, leaving her imprint in their wake.

Tasha looked at her handiwork, and then passed the note to Maria to read. 'Think the judge will like it?'

'_Get me and Maria in the same prison, and I'll make it worth your while ~Romanov._'

Maria grinned. 'Will he take the bait?'

'Definitely. I met him in a case in '08, I'm sure he remembers how I repay me debts.'

Maria laughed, 'Oh, and how do you plan on repaying this one in a cell?' She teased.

'I will have mercy and spare his life for judging against us.'

Their lawyer visibly tensed in front of them.

'Don't worry, Tasha won't touch a hair on his head. Despite whatever image she tries to portray, she's the good guy.' Maria tried to comfort the lawyer

Tasha smiled, before replying, 'He doesn't know that.' She slid the note over to her lawyer, and said, 'Give this to the judge, please.'

The lawyer looked at the note and then back at Tasha and Maria in confusion.

'You have no intention of winning this case, do you?'

'No. Although it was entertaining watching you scrape the bottom of the barrel, trying to find us a way.'

The lawyer sighed. 'I trust you know what you're getting yourself into. Try not to leave a trail of bodies, this case has been hard enough.'

Maria smiled at the lawyer. 'I knew there was a reason we hired you.

* * *

><p>The trial was a massive event. It seemed like every news station and reporter was there. It went easy enough. The judge sent furtive glances to Tasha, and got through the formalities of the trial, before he asked, 'And how do the defendants plead?'<p>

Tasha looked at Maria, a hint of a smirk behind her mask.

'Guilty.'

The press went wild. Flashes exploded, as they tried to capture the scene.

The judge quickly rattled off their sentences, and the court was closed.

Tasha heard a slight humming behind her, as Maria and herself were taken into the back of a police van. She couldn't help but smile.

* * *

><p>The judge had indeed taken their bait. The drive to the prison was longer than they expected. It took them 4 hours to arrive, from the court house, and the drive was consumed with crappy radio from the front and hushed conversation from Maria and Tasha.<p>

When they stepped out the van, they squinted at the abrupt change in lighting, having become accustomed to the tinted windows. They looked at the prison in front of them and Tasha let out a giggle.

'This is it?' Maria asked. 'I could stroll out of here blindfolded with my hands tied behind my back!'

'No doubt.' Tasha replied.

'Okay ladies, welcome to Litchfield Penitentiary. Your home for the rest of your sorry lives.' Maria rolled her eyes. Prison guards.

They followed the guard past the gates, and into the main office. They were just about to pass through a set of metal detectors, when Tasha stopped.

'Hey,' she nudged Maria. Maria looked to where Tasha was now looking. On the screen of a television on the wall, the news was reporting on their trial. Tasha laughed, as she saw themselves being taken away by two police officers on the screen. The guards had stopped now, and had drawn their attention to the screens as well. They looked slightly paler as they realized how high risk the new inmates were.

'Come on, ladies, move along.' A new guard ushered them through, turning off the television. The guard was fresh faced, brunette, and young. Years of training alerted Tasha and Maria to a prosthetic leg.

'Iraq or Afghanistan?'

The guard looked up at them is surprise.

'What?' He demanded, somewhat calmly.

'Iraq or Afghanistan.' Tasha pointed at his leg.

The guard seemed taken aback, and somewhat annoyed. 'Be quiet. There will be a female officer waiting for you inside.'

The guard opened the door, and let them in.

'Must you antagonize the guards?' Maria asked with a sigh.

'Come on Maria, you know I thrive on it,' Tasha teased back with a wink.

'Oh I know only too well.' Maria grumbled, although letting her amusement seep into her tone.

The guard inside didn't say anything as they stripped, although she couldn't keep the surprise of her face when she saw their many gunshot wounds and other scars.

'O- open your mouths.'

She quickly shone a light in their mouths.

'Arms up.' They complied.

'Bend over and spread your cheeks.'

Tasha stifled a giggle. 'If I had a dime for every time a woman asked me that.' She muttered to herself.

Maria let out a snort, earning a hard glare from the prison guard.

'Cough.'

They were quickly changed again, and sent through the photos.

Finally, they made it through the whole process, and were assigned an inmate to show them around.

'Alright, I'm Morello,' the inmate introduced. 'Down there you got the food hall, and then there's the...'

Their tour was given, and they earned various glances from the inmates around them. Simple curiosity. They had no idea who they were. They hadn't been there for the fall of Shield and the mess after.

'It's kinda nice to going somewhere no one knows who you are.' Maria admitted.

Tasha nodded. 'Yeah, finding new covers would have been a bitch.'

Maria laughed. 'Yeah, you kind of left no room for subtlety.'

Morello glanced at them. 'Who exactly are you? It's not usual for people to come in together.'

Tasha just smiled. 'I have some pull with the court.'

'Fine, don't tell me, I get it.' Morello backed off.

'Okay, this will be your room till you're reassigned. Ladies, meet Romanov and Hill.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, I know, this chapter is kinda really shit. I've been feeling really crappy the past few days and its reflecting in my writing. I kinda hate this chapter. <strong>

**Thanks for all the great reviews, you guys are awesome and make my day.**

**Tell me what you think, if you have ideas or anything. If people ask, i might redo the chapter or something, depending on the reception it gets. let me know what you think**


	3. The Cell

'Hey.'

Several heads looked up at Maria and Tasha.

As if they were all synced, a chorus of 'dibs' ran round the room. Maria laughed, and Tasha gave a smirk.

'I think we will manage without the Dibs,' Tasha quipped, 'wouldn't wanna let down all the other ladies.'  
>A couple of the inmates laughed, before looking at them, curious.<p>

'You want top or bottom?' Maria asked Tasha, only to receive a suggestive eyebrow raise.

'Shut up, you know what I mean. You're as bad as Clint.' Maria grumbled.

Tasha laughed. 'No one is as bad as Clint. I'll take the top.'

This conversation raised a few heads from their cell mates. 'You guys know each other from the outside?' One of the woman asked, 'Not many people come in together.'

Maria nodded, before Tasha spoke. 'We had some pull with the judge, he owed me a favour.' This only confused their inmates more.

'Well, I'm Chapman. That's Diaz, over there is Rosa, and up on top is Nichols. She just got back from the SHU, two weeks.'

Tasha gave a nod of sympathy to Nichols. She remembered the days before her deprogramming after she got caught by Shield. Weeks on end, staring at a blank wall, knowing people were watching on the other side of the double glass, yet so alone.

Chapman was just about to explain how to arrange their beds, but stopped as she saw them both lie over their sheets. Guess they got the memo.

'Is this your first time in prison?' Diaz asked, curious.

Tasha sighed. 'No. It wasn't as nice as this one.'

Maria frowned. They had both been on multiple missions that lead to capture. No, they definitely weren't as nice.

Chapman was just about to ask another question, when she was interrupted.

'Enough with the third degree, Chapman.' Nichols spoke for the first time. 'You always let your mouth run faster than your head. Not a good trait in here.'

Chapman glared at Nichols.

'Fine, whatever, get stabbed in your sleep. It's your choice,' Nichols retracted.

Tasha smiled slightly, before she lay down on her bed, listening to the sound of Maria's humming. It was becoming a habit, on both their sides.

* * *

><p>They reached the front of the queue to the lunch line just as a guard approached. Tasha had slight satisfaction, seeing the guard, a tall man with a moustache, tighten his grip on his baton, as he passed them. Tasha nudged Maria, just as he strode into the kitchens.<p>

'What shit are you serving up today, Red?' The man grinned maliciously.

'You call it shit,' a woman replied in a thick Russian accent, 'yet you come back for more everyday. Do you enjoy eating shit?'

The guard growled, and grabbed a handful of nuggets, before stalking off.

'чертовски мудак,' the woman grumbled, in Russian. (Fucking dickhead.)

'попробуйте удалить голову от задницы , вы можете расчесывать ваши борода лучше.'

(Try removing your head from your ass, you can comb your moustache better.)

Tasha laughed, causing the redhead to look at her.

'You speak Russian?' She asked, curious.

'Россия моя родина,' Tasha replied. (Russia is my mother country.)

Maria remained blank faced during their conversation, feigning ignorance to the language. Truth be told, she had learnt Russian, not long after Tasha had joined shield. She had often been assigned guard duty, and she had been curious to what Tasha muttered about in her sleep. She wished she hadn't found out. She never told Tasha she learned, it felt like an invasion of privacy, now she understood her ramblings.

The cook returned to serving, and they moved along the line.  
>Maria just looked at Tasha. 'Making friends?'<p>

'She's the head cook, and Russian to boot. We don't want to be on their bad side. Besides, it's nice to speak Russian in a nonthreatening environment.' Tasha shrugged, picking up her tray and leading Maria to an empty table.

Maria snorted. 'How bad did we end up, that prison is a non threatening environment.'

Tasha chuckled, before sitting down.

'Well, nobody is shooting at us.'

'Yeah, well, after all the reporters, I kinda missed the bullets.'

Tasha laughed, throwing her head back.

'Really? I would have thought you thrived on that stuff.'

Maria shook her head.

'Nope. I may have been a pencil pusher, but that's not how I got there. I worked the same job as you.'

Tasha frowned, suddenly. 'No. Not the same, never. Not even Clint did some of the stuff I did for work.'

Maria looked at Tasha, sensing her vulnerability. It was like whiplash, the way her emotions had changed on a switch.

'Hey, that's over. No ones making you do anything. No killing. I promise.' Tasha looked up into Maria's eyes. In one fluid movement, she stuck out her little finger.

'Pinky?' Tasha was completely serious.

Maria laughed, sticking out her finger, and wrapping it around Tasha's.

'God, you child.'

Tasha grinned at Maria. There it was again. The whiplash. It made her wonder if any of it was real.

They sat in silence, munching on their food. They ignored everyone around them, sharing a silent conversation with their expressions. It was a game Maria had showed her. They were trained to read expressions, body language. They needed it to analyse a target, so Maria had made it into a game. They would try and tell stories through their expressions. Neither one knew what the other was trying to say, but that was the fun of it. It was different for every person. After Maria made a rather funny face, Tasha raised a single eyebrow, causing Maria to burst out laughing.

'You lose,' Tasha dead panned, before grinning.

Maria raised her hands in defeat. 'How could I not, it's you I was playing,' she replied.

'Wow, inflate a girls ego much, Hill?'

Maria laughed. 'Oh no! It's already big enough,' Maria paused, before looking down to her food. 'Are you done?' Maria asked, gesturing to Tasha's tray. Tasha nodded, and they both rose, taking their trays to the trash can. Once they had deposited them, they made their way back to their cell room.

* * *

><p>It was the first time they had been alone since they had gotten there, and so, they both settled, side by side, on Maria's bed.<p>

'How long are we staying?' Maria asked.

Tasha shrugged. 'I don't know, as long as we feel like.'

Maria nodded, although still not completely understanding why Tasha wanted to be there.

'You got a plan to get us out yet?' Maria asked with a grin.

'Please. I had an exit as soon as I set foot in this place.'

Maria gave her a shove. 'Cocky much? Although, I made a plan too. One that probably involves less danger and action.'

'Well, where's all the fun in that?' Tasha asked teasingly, before musing, 'Although it does raise the question as to why they placed us in such a low facility prison.'

Maria nodded, before answering, 'Well, I actually had a few theories on that.'

'Shoot.'

'Well, firstly, all the high facility prisons are filled with Hydra. They were probably worried we would kill them... or join them.'

Tasha nodded, prompting her to continue.

'Before all the hydra went there, we had a hand of bagging half those criminals, sometimes killing their comrades in the process. Putting us into a high facility prison would be giving us a death sentence. Even the black widow couldn't take on hundreds at a time.'

Tasha snorted derisively, but Maria ignored her. 'You were right when you said they will need us. They know it, and so they need us alive.'

Tasha nodded, 'You've put a lot of thought into this, huh?'

Maria shot her a look. 'Well yeah, that's my job... was my job. I have two other theories.'

'Oh, I'll get comfortable then,' Tasha teased, before moving around in the bed, till she was right next to Maria. She placed her head against the pillow and looked at Maria.

Taking her cue, Maria spoke. From this angle, Tasha could watch her talk, count the freckles on her nose. What? She was observant! At least, that was what Tasha told herself.

'The court views us in one of two ways. They might see us exactly as we are, a couple of badass spies who don't need orders to get things done. They would know we could easily break out. They wouldn't want to risk others breaking out, or us damaging their high facility prisons, so they send us here, where we can do minimal damage. They know we will escape, and when we do, the press will paint us exactly as they want them to, as a couple of criminals.

This or, most likely, they think we are women. Feeble, and slow. They are misogynistic old men who think we can only do anything productive when it's given to us by Fury or Captain. We are just the puppets to a man's game. They would believe that without the men, we are nothing, and powerless to escape, therefore, no need for max facilities.'

Maria let out a chuckle. 'They will have no idea what hit them.'

Tasha was just about to respond, when a bell rang out through the prison. Tasha and Maria sat up, as their cell mates joined them in their room.

'Quick, get up. Stand by your bed!' Maria and Tasha shot up, and did as they were told.

On cue, two guards came strolling in. Maria recognised the man from the lunch queue.

'Well, ladies, a little birdie told us that the inmates have been naughty.' Tasha rolled her eyes, seeing how the man got off on the 'power' he had over them.

'Room search.' The other guard said. He was the guard from their admittance. The one with the prosthetic leg.

Maria observed the annoyance on the other woman's faces, but none of them looked guilty.

The guards ransacked their cell, leaving a mess every where they touched. The second guard, at least, showed some restraint. Finally, the moustache dick declared the room clear and they left.

'Ugh, what a douche.' Maria grumbled.

Tasha snorted. 'Understatement much.'

The women set their rooms back to order in silence, and by then, it was lock down. Everyone had to stay in their rooms.

With a sigh, Tasha lied down on the bottom bunk.

'Hey, short stack, that's my bed.'

'You sound like Clint,' she shot back.

'Mmm, I was hoping it would annoy you enough to move.' Maria joked.

'Well, I know your master plan, now. I shall never leave this bed if it means victory,' Tasha teased back.

'Oh, move over.' Maria shoved Tasha to one end of the bed, and sat on the other.

'Interesting first day, huh.'

'Yeah.'

They were mostly whispering now, so as to not be overheard.

'Pepper is gonna be pissed. I had just signed up for a job.'

Tasha laughed. 'Well, better make her you first call.'

Maria laughed. 'Please, you know as soon as they can, they will be down here. You're family to them.'

Tasha hummed. 'That's a dysfunctional family if I ever saw one. It's all I got though. Tell me about yours.'

'Well, if were on the subject of dysfunction...'

* * *

><p>Maria woke up early. Years of practice had permanently wired her biological clock that way. She looked around the room, and saw Tasha lounging against the wall.<p>

'Hey.' She whispered, not wanting to wake the others.

'What time is it?' Maria asked, rubbing her eyes.

Tasha shrugged. 'No clock. I usually wake at 5, and judging by the sun, I've been up for half an hour.'

Maria nodded. Things didn't really get going till 8, but the doors opened for those early risers at 7. Perfect to grab a shower before it got crowded.

'I don't know how I will survive without my morning runs. I'll probably go stir crazy.' Tasha admitted.

Maria laughed. 'Guess you didn't think that through. This isn't a holiday resort, you know.' Maria teased.

'Okay, I get it. This wasn't one of my best ideas, it rarely is. But I'm nothing if not persistent. I will see this through.'

Maria looked at her for a second. 'See what through, exactly?'

Tasha grinned. 'You'll find out soon enough.'

'Uh oh, I do not like that look. Level one agents run from that look.'

'Well, you're hardly a level one agent, are you?' Tasha joked.

They talked away the early hours of the day. They had never really had the opportunity to get to know each other, further than their jobs. They would have plenty opportunity now.

'So, what do you think that cell search what about?' Maria asked.

Tasha shrugged. 'Probably something to do with the little birdie.'

They heard a click from the lock on the door, and so, Tasha and Maria grabbed their shower things.

* * *

><p>Setting off towards the showers, they continued to muse about what happened yesterday. Once they reached them, they were grateful to find it empty. Maria hated all the scars she donned. They were reminders of the ones she, herself, had inflicted, and would probably raise the attention of the other inmates. It would be better, for now, to keep some anonymity amongst the other prisoners.<p>

Tasha seemed to have no such problem, shedding her towel and stepping into the shower. Maria did her best not the stare, but could not help the occasional linger of her eyes.

Brushing off those thoughts, she too shed her towel and entered her shower. The pressure was crappy, and the hair wash cheap, but she was grateful for the warmth of the water. She pitied those who slept in. They stayed in the showers till people started to arrive, after which, they promptly left. There seemed to be a underlying tone of anger in people's moods, and they were not keen on being present during an argument.

They quickly returned to their cell, and changed. The light at the end of the hall signalled that they were free to go to the food hall.

Again, tensions seemed to be high, as everyone went to get their food. Maria shrugged it of to being early in the morning, and did not mention it.

Once they received their food, they decided to join Nichols and Chapman, who were sitting with the inmate who had shown then around the day before, and some others they didn't know.

'Hey,' Maria greeted, as they sat down.

'Hi, Romanov, Hill, this is Vause, you know Morello, and that's Yoga Jones.' Nichols introduced.

Tasha nodded to them, before asking, 'what's with all the doom and gloom? It seems like it's a little more than just being here.' Maria perked her head up. She hadn't been the only one to notice.

'Didn't you hear?' Vause asked. Those cell searches weren't as fruitless as yours. Someone has been smuggling in drugs. A few people got sent to the SHU for a month. They didn't find the supplier, and the guards are on a warpath.'

Maria frowned. This almost seemed like life as usual. Maria was just about to make this comment to Tasha, when she heard someone call, 'Hey! Romanov, Hill.'

* * *

><p>Tasha looked at Maria pointedly, before turning to whomever had called them. Maria did the same, and saw a group of 8 or 9 inmates.<p>

'Yes.'

'We lost 4 people to the SHU last night.' The leader growled.

Tasha rolled her eyes.

'How incredibly unfortunate for you. Maybe you should talk to them about having contraband items within a prison.'

Maria groaned. 'Tasha. It's our second day.'

Tasha just rolled her eyes.

'I think the real issue is that someone told the guards. It's a bit of a coincidence that this happened when you arrived.' The woman continued, the insinuation clear.

'Yea, well that is rather damning evidence, isn't it?' Tasha smirked.

A mutter rose through the group. They had earned the attention of the other inmates now, but the guards were oblivious.

'No one in your cell was affected, were they. See, that seems like a bit of a far fetched coincidence, don't you think?'

Tasha laughed, much to the annoyance of the group opposing them.

'I guess we will never know. Maybe we should ask one of the guards, they will be sure to tell us all.' Tasha smirked again.

'Oh you cocky bitch.' The leader muttered, before she swung her fist at Tasha. She easily dodged, and laughed.

'Is that it?' The woman charged her with a shriek of anger, drawing the attention of the guards.

Maria watched, a mix of annoyance and humour. This was so typical of Tasha. She looked as she saw her evade each of her attacks, till she sensed the air shift next to her. Moving on instinct, she spun, blocking a blow, and kicking out the feet of her attacker, leaving them crumpled to the ground, but they were replaced by another. She quickly unbalanced those who approached her, keeping her eye on Tasha as she went. She seemed to be toying with the leader.

In the corner of her eyes, she saw the guards approaching cautiously. Just as she was going to grab Tasha away from the fighting, she caught a glimpse of something metal in an oncoming attackers hand. They swung it at her, and up close, saw it was a crudely fashioned knife. She met the attacker head on, quickly disarming them. Apparently Tasha had seen the shiv too, and she was furious. Suddenly she was in front of Maria. She punched out, and felt a rib crack. She was in a frenzy, lashing out against three more attackers that had joined the fray. Maria stood there, unsure.

'Tasha.' She was ignored. Maria knew what happened when Tasha got this angry. The last attacker was on the floor now, and Tasha was towering over her. She aimed to take a blow, but felt a hand hold her back.

She immediately recoiled, and spun around. Her eyes were ablaze with fury.

'Tasha.' She repeated. 'You promised me no killing.' Her voice was calm, but iron clad.

'That's not exactly how I roll, Hill,' Tasha near growled.

'That's an order, not a request.' Maria commanded, ignoring the stares from those around them. Who could blame them. There were 9 inmates groaning on the floor.

'You're not my boss any more.' Tasha ground out.

'Yet you don't know how to cope without one. Let me help, before you kill someone.'

Tasha's face turned to stone, void of all emotion.

'You're not my handler. I don't need a baby sitter.' She spat out before striding away to the exit. None of the guards moved to stop her.

Maria was fuming. It seemed to get the better of her emotions. As Tasha reached for the door handle, Maria lashed out, whipping the makeshift blade through the air, and embedding it in the door, inches away from Tasha's hand.

She stopped at the door and looked back to Maria.

'Dont you dare, Natasha Romanov. не смей оставлять меня.' (Don't you dare walk away from me.)

If Tasha was surprised by the Russian, she didn't show it. Instead, she just opened the doors and left.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey, here's a longer one. A little bit of angst, but i can guarantee there will be oncoming fluff. <strong>

**Send a review with what you think :)**


	4. The SHU

With the exception of the moans coming from the injured inmates on the floor, the room was silent.

Maria was fuming. How could Tasha walk away from her like that? One second she was trying to protect her, attacking the inmate who had the knife, and the next she was giving her the cold shoulder. She'd said it before and she would say it again. Natasha Romanov gave her fucking whiplash.

Maria looked down at her hands. They were shaking, from the anger, and the sudden spike in adrenalin. She needed to calm down, she hadn't come to run the largest secret government organisation by losing her head in a mission. No. She was Maria Hill. She had control. She put all her concentration into slowing her hands before she looked back up to the stares from everyone in the room.

She didn't give them a moment of thought, before she started in the direction Tasha had gone in. She was just about to reach the door, when she heard, 'Hey, Hill, where do you think you're going?'

She paused, and turned slowly, her face blank.

'What.' She dead panned, keeping her emotions in check.

The douche guard with the moustache spoke.

'We need to take you and Romanov down to the SHU, you didn't think we would let it slide, just because of who you are?'

Maria snorted derisively. 'Oh, you mean the fact that either one of us could kill you in your sleep and no one would find you till the morning? Is that what you mean?' Her tone was ice. She was done with this bullshit. She was Maria Fucking Hill.

The guards stiffened their grips on their batons, and a palpable shiver ran through the inmates.

'Are you trying to-' the guard started, before Maria cut him off.

'You really think you are going to be able to contain a pissed off Natasha Romanov? No. Give me 15 minutes and we will come with our hands up.' The guards seemed unsure, but Maria walked out anyway. No one was stupid enough to follow her.

The inmates looked at each other in confusion, before one said what everyone was thinking.

'Who the fuck are they?'

Yep, that seemed to sum it up.

* * *

><p>Tasha laid down on the bunk, and laid her arm over her eyes. She let out a sigh. She had probably ruined everything with Maria, and she wasn't even sure if there had been anything to ruin in the first place. Maria was just her 'Boss.'<p>

She mulled these thoughts over in her head. Surely she hadn't been so blinded by her emotions that she had missed what was happening right in front of her. How could she have seen something that was never there? She was trained to observe and analyse any situation. She just wasn't trained on her to deal with a stupid crush.

Tasha let out another frustrated sigh, before she spoke out, 'I know you're there,' without uncovering her eyes.

'Right, I was trying to sneak up on you. Rookie mistake,' Maria said to herself, tying to diffuse the tension.

'I would have thought the mistake was following someone who wants to be alone.' Tasha muttered.

'You didn't really give me much choice. They want to take us down to the SHU.' Maria defended herself.

'Right,' Tasha responded, understanding the underlying meaning. 'Wouldn't want the Black Widow to take out her anger on one of our lovely guards,' Tasha finished, her voice dripping in sarcasm.

'Why wont you let me help you? You're pushing me away again.'

'Because!' Tasha exploded. 'All you want to do is help me. Like I'm some stupid broken toy that needs fixing! I thought we were friends, that you came with me because I asked. But really it was you doing your job, being my handler, because I 'Don't know how to cope without one.''

Maria suddenly understood.

'Tasha. I am your friend. You really think I would get myself arrested for a job I don't even have anymore? I stopped you from killing that woman today. Not for her, I couldn't care less, she tried to kill me. No, I did it for you. You cant cope with the guilt that comes afterwards. I did it for you, so you wouldn't torture yourself, over some stupid criminal.'

Tasha looked down at Maria, who was still standing by the doors. Her eyes were glistening with moisture.

'You're not the mindless killer you were made to be any more. You joined Shield, and tried to be better. And when you found out about Hydra, you gave it all up. The clean slate, the anonymity, all of it. You gave it up, and that makes you a pretty incredible person, and I didn't want you to taint that. I did it for you.'

Tasha wiped the tears away from her cheeks, and let out a laugh. 'God, Hill, I didn't know you were such a sap.'

Maria laughed in relief, at the joking tone. She finally crossed the doorway, and sat on the mattress next to Tasha's legs.

'If you tell any of them I said this, I will deny it, but... Black widow is my favourite avenger.' Tasha burst out laughing, and Maria smiled. This was nice, seeing Tasha laugh so unbridled.

'Really? Have you seen Thor's arms?' Tasha asked teasingly, but was completely flummoxed but Maria's response.

'Yeah, I have, but have you seen your legs lately?' Maria was only half joking.

Tasha's cheeks turned slightly pink, before she contained herself.

'Weren't we supposed to be going to the SHU?' Tasha asked, in a topic change

'Right. On our second day.' Maria sighed slightly.

'Would you really expect anything else from us?' Tasha joked.

'True, although the press would have a field day if they ever found out. And I hate to think what Pepper will do, once we get out.'

Tasha suddenly paled. 'Oh god. She is gunna be pissed. She will give us one of her lectures, oh crap, they're worse than Coulsons!'

Maria laughed, before standing up. 'Come on, they're already out for our heads.'

'Right. Lets go.'

* * *

><p>The walk down to the SHU was quiet. Maria was humming again, and it brought a smile to Tasha's face. The guards probably thought they were mental, but Tasha couldn't help it. The tune seemed familiar, but she couldn't recognise where she had heard it from. The guards had cuffed them both, and Maria rolled her eyes. She could have broken out off them when she was 15, and Tasha when she was... well, far too young.<p>

The guards were careful not to touch them, after the display they had given in the cafeteria. They had also been surprised, when Tasha and Maria were on good terms, when not so long ago they were throwing knives at eachother.

Once they made it to the Security Housing Unit, they went through the system. Before long, they were being ushered into their separate rooms. They were rather unimpressive, with just a hard bed, a sink and toilet, and about 2 meters square floor space.

Maria sighed, as she entered. Her guard had neglected to mention how long this little 'vacation' would last. The same guard slammed the door behind her, leaving her alone.

Maria went over to the bed, and sat down. She had gone through worse, been held captive on missions. Aside from the various tortures, they bad guys tend to leave you alone. Its the hope for a rescue team that keeps you going. Your chance to get out. Maria frowned. There was no rescue team. The 'good guys' were the ones putting her in here. She would have to find something else to keep going.

She began to hum, as she mulled it over. What was it that kept her going, these days? It wasn't a job, she was jobless. She was no longer saving lives, or helping people. What was she living for? Her mind flashed to a certain redhead, and then on to an archer, and then a metal man, a monster, a Shield and hammer. They were what kept her going. She hadn't realised how important the avengers had become to her, but now she was relying on them for her sanity over the next few days.

Her mind became consumed with memories, of stars and stripes, and lighting, test tubes, arrows and rays of electricity. But most of all, she thought of her.

* * *

><p>Tasha sat with her back against the wall and fiddled with her hair. She really needed a hair cut. Maybe once she got out, she could find one of the inmate hairdressers. She was musing over what style she would get done, when she paused. She could hear, or maybe she was imaging it, a faint humming through the vent on the wall.<p>

Tasha paused, before she cautiously called out, 'Maria, is that you?'

The humming was quickly stopped, and replaced with, 'Tasha! I cant believe they were stupid enough to put us next to each other! This is great.'

Tasha grinned at the happiness in Maria's voice. Maybe this wouldn't be as tedious as she thought.

Suddenly, it clocked in her head where she had heard the song, that Maria was humming, from.

'Maria...'

'Yeah,' she replied.

'Are you really humming the Avengers cartoon theme tune?'

Maria laughed. 'Maybe. I knew Clint made you watch that, Coulson owes me ten bucks.'

Tasha feigned disgust. 'Ugh, you were making money of Clint torturing me? How could you!'

Maria laughed again. Her cell had probably never heard such happy sounds.

'Always so dramatic, aren't you,' Maria teased, before her voice grew tentative.

'Hey, Tasha... Would you mind telling me a story? I don't like the quiet.'

Tasha was surprised, but she nodded. Once she realised Maria couldn't actually see her, she cleared her throat.

'Umm, sure. Did I ever tell you what happened in Budapest?'

Maria slid to sit down at the wall, near the vent. She leaned her head on the wall, and closed her eyes, letting Tasha's voice waft over her. It was nice, peaceful even. It felt like Tasha was right there next to her, and the idea brought a smile to her face. It definitely wasn't the worst room arrangement, not by a long shot.

They spent the next few days like that. In between sleeps, they would talk, swapping stories and jokes. They managed to keep the air light, but when neither felt like talking, Maria would hum, just to feel the silence.

Every morning, Tasha would greet her with a 'Morning Maria,' and would be replied with a 'Morning,' in return. Their throats were dry with thirst, and their bodies aching from lack of movement, but they made it work, for both their sakes.

* * *

><p>In the night, after their 5th day in solitary, Maria was thrown roughly awake by her door opening, and a harsh light shining through it.<p>

'What?' Maria asked in dazed confusion.

'Congratulations, Inmate, you are returning back to your slightly nicer prison cell,' the guard quipped, his voice brimming with bored sarcasm.

Maria didn't leave a moment for him to change his mind, and scrambled to the door. She was cuffed, and taken away, back to the main building. As she was reaching the door to leave the SHU, she looked back to what would be Tasha's cell.

'What about Romanov? Is she coming?' she asked the guard, barely keeping the worry out of her tone.

'No, she has a longer time. You were just protecting yourself, but she put 5 inmates in the infirmary. She's got at least another 2 weeks.' the guard responded, bored.

Maria paled, and twisted round to look back at Tasha's cell again, but was quickly dragged through a set of doors, and out of sight.

* * *

><p>Tasha woke and stretched, like a cat. She yawned, and picked herself up from the hard mattress. She went over to the sink, and wiped her face with lukewarm water, before she went to her spot by the wall. She grabbed her pillow from the bed and placed it where she usually sat, a small comfort against the cold, stone floor.<p>

'Morning, Maria, how did you sleep?'

Nothing.

'Maria?' Tasha said again, panic rising in her voice.

'Are you there? Maria?'

She was greeted again with silence, and Tasha felt a sob grow in her throat. She was alone. Maria had gone, and she didn't know when she would see her again. The silence was deafening, and seemed to crush Tasha. She stopped a sob from escaping, before emitting a weak hum. She did it gain, growing stronger, till she quashed the silence, and instead, filled it with Maria.

_Maria. Where are you?_

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, wow, kinda sad ending on this chapter :( sorry. <strong>

**Shout out to FollowerOfFanfics007, for being awesome, and chatting with me :) **

**let me know what you think, thanks lovelies.**


	5. Dreaming of you

Maria ignored the stares as she made her way through the courtyard. She was too wrapped up in her worry to care what everyone else thought. Deep down, she knew that worrying was pointless. Natasha Romanov had gone through much worse than a few weeks in solitary; she had read her file. Although it was far from complete, it showed some things that would destroy lesser men. Natasha Romanov was a rock. She did not need Maria's worry, but it was there, none the less.

She didn't know when she started thinking of Tasha as someone she would even consider caring about. Before Shield fell, they rarely spent time with each other. Somehow, somewhere between Hydra and their arrest, Tasha had become a part of her life, maybe even before that. She didn't want to dwell on those thoughts, as she was escorted through the prison to her cell, but it was there, in the back of her mind.

She heard the chatter coming from her cell mates, when she approached the room, but as she reached the doorway, it stopped. Silence filled the room, as she made her way to her bunk. It was untouched, since she had been there last, and she could hardly contemplate that it had been only a few days. She hated to think how Tasha would feel once she got out. She sat down on the hard bed, leaning against the wall, and looked at the other women around her.

All it took was a look from her, to set them of in to a tense chatter; they were desperately trying to avoid the elephant in the room. They kept sending furtive glances at her, but generally left her alone. After a couple of minutes, Maria grew bored with her thoughts.

'Hey, Chapman? Do you mind if I borrow your book?' Maria gestured to the book that lay on the bedside table closest to Chapman's bunk. She had missed the distribution of books from the library.

Chapman gave her a surprised look, before nodding nervously. Maria sighed. It would be a lot harder to socialize with the other inmates.

'Look. What you saw...' Maria blurted out. 'You don't need to tiptoe around me and Tasha. We're not going to fight with you, or beat you up. It was a mistake.'

Nichols snorted. 'It didn't look like a mistake. Those were some bad ass moves.'

Maria shrugged. 'It's not like we're the only ones who can fight.'

Nichols shook her head, 'Not like that. That's something else.'

Maria just sighed, and shrugged shrugged.

* * *

><p>Natasha pushed up, and let out a deep breath. She thrived on the strain on her arms, and held herself up in position, before sinking back to the floor. Her chest almost hit the floor, before she pushed herself back up. She had been working out for the past half an hour. It was a distraction from her thoughts. It had only been a few hours since Tasha had realised she was alone, but she was already bored out of her mind.<p>

She had experience staying in the same position for hours, having accompanied Clint on many an assassination. Tasha didn't know how he did it, just sitting there, lying in wait for a target, on a rooftop. She much preferred going in head on. She didn't have to worry about being seen, her targets never had the opportunity to talk. Despite this, she had been on Clint's missions, but this was different. Lying in wait for a target had a time limit. Sooner or later, they would come along and you would take the shot. But this had no limit. She didn't know how long she would be stuck in this cell and that's what was making Tasha antsy.

Tasha dipped down for another push up, and felt her arms tremble slightly from exertion. Good, she thought. If her mind wouldn't quieten, her tired body would let her sleep. She pushed herself for a further 10 minutes, till she was ready to drop from fatigue. Tasha struggled to straighten her arms once more, drained from her work out, before standing up. She wiped the sweat from her brow, and stepping towards her bed. It was hard, but she didn't care. She could sleep now.

She rested her head on her pillow, and let her eyes flutter close. Tasha ignored the blue eyes that stared back at her, seemingly imprinted on the back of her lids, and willed herself to fall asleep. There was no point dwelling on the fact that her mind appeared to be infatuated with everything relating to Maria. It wouldn't help her sleep. No, she pushed all those thoughts to the back of her mind, and let her exhaustion take her.

* * *

><p>Maria stared at the mesh on the bottom of the bunk above her. She couldn't sleep, not without knowing that Tasha was okay, so instead she traced lines in the criss-crossing metal, finding shapes. It didn't help much to distract herself from her concern for Tasha. Maria expelled a breath of air in frustration, careful not to wake the other women. Why was she acting like a love sick child? Tasha was a grown woman, and a hell of a good one at that. She was being ridiculous by worrying about her, but Maria couldn't shake it.<p>

With a huff of annoyance, Maria turned onto her side, and tucked her arm under her head. She hated Tasha for making her feel like this. She had seen how crushes turned out when Natasha Romanov was the subject. Heartbreak and sadness. Many agents had tried their luck, and had been turned away, and she refused to be foolish enough to think she was any different.

With a sigh, Maria shut her eyes, trying to will away her thoughts. She just wanted to sleep, but it was strange, not hearing Tasha's voice, lulling her to sleep. It had served as a promise, that Tasha would be there, when she woke, but that voice was gone. At the back of her mind, she was certain; she never wanted to sleep again, if it meant waking up without Tasha.

* * *

><p><em>Tasha was woken by the sound of the large metal door to her cell opening.<em>

_'Wha-? What's going on?' Tasha moaned before rubbing her eyes. She sat up, but the light from outside was too bright to show anything more than a silhouette ._

_'Shhhhh. Be quiet. ' was all she got in response from the intru- Wait a minute. Tasha knew that voice._

_'Maria?' Tasha asked in disbelief._

_'Yeah, it's me,' she responded._

_Tasha shrugged off the thin blanket she had thrown over herself, and swung her legs around over the edge of the bed. 'What are you doing here? You'll get caught.'_

_Maria closed the door, and turned to Tasha with a smirk._

_'Please, I was the Assistant Director of Shield; I practically ran it. I wont get caught.'_

_Tasha smiled. 'Someone's confident,' she joked teasingly, before turning serious. 'Why are you here?'_

_Maria frowned, choosing her words delicately._

_'I was worried. About you.'_

_Tasha sighed, before replying, 'But you don't need to be. I'm fine in here, nothings going to happen.'_

_Maria went to Tasha, and sat by her side. She looked at her in the eyes, before saying, 'I know I don't need you worry. I cant help it.' Maria placed her hand on Tasha's thigh, before continuing. 'I hate the idea of you being here, all alone.' Maria began to slide her hand up and down her thigh. Tasha felt her breath catch in her throat, and looked at Maria in surprise._

_'All alone, with nothing to do. I couldn't help my self.' Maria finished, her voice barely a whisper. She gave Tasha's thigh a gentle squeeze, only reminding Tasha how far up it had risen since it had been placed there._

_'Maria, what are you doi-?' Tasha couldn't finish her sentence, as Maria put her finger up to Tasha's lips, silencing her._

_'Just don't think,' Maria murmured, eyes dropping to Tasha's lips, before she leaned in to close the gap._

_Tasha felt Maria'__s mouth on hers, and all worry about getting caught drained away. She didn't care. Not when Maria was sucking on her bottom lip and-_

_Tasha let out an uncontrollable moan, and Maria only took it as a sign to continue. She slid her tongue in, and swirled it around Tasha's, as they fought for dominance. Tasha felt Maria's hands slide to her chest, and she leaned into the touch. She had never imagined this would be happening, and yet here she was, getting it on with Maria Fucking Hill. And god, was she talented with those hands._

_Tasha pulled Maria down on top of her, till they were both lying on the bed, and broke the kiss. Before Maria could make a noise in complaint, her shirt, having been near ripped by Tasha, was off. Tasha's shirt soon joined hers on the floor, and_ then_ Tasha was on her, sucking hard on Maria's neck. She pulled away, and began gently lavishing the growing bruise with her tongue. Maria groaned, before whining, 'Enough playing, I need to touch you.'_

_Tasha was wholeheartedly agreeing with that plan, and so, she let Maria slide down. Her hands briefly caressed Tasha's chest and stomach, as she trailed down, but they were soon needed else where._

_Maria shot Tasha a questioning glance, silently asking if she was okay with this._

_Growling, Tasha said, 'I swear, if you don't tou-' before Maria suddenly- Oh god._

Tasha suddenly sat up, covered in sweat, Maria's name dying on her lips. She looked around; she was alone.

'You idiot. Just a dream, its not real.' Tasha muttered to herself.

Her sides seemed to tingle, despite Maria's hands never trailing there. Tasha brushed away a tear that threatened to fall, and lay back on her bed as she tried to fall back to sleep. She wasn't sure if she wanted another dream, or if she wanted to wake in what felt like seconds to greet a new day. Either way, she would be waking without Maria, and that made her heart sink a little. Tasha shut her eyes, and drifted back to a dreamless sleep. It was better that way.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey, so I Kinda don't like this chapter, so sorry if you feel the same way. I kinda have writer's block, so it took me ages to even spew out this crap, but i promised a chapter, even if it is a short one. Let me know what you think, even if you tell me i suck, it will motivate me to write better.<strong>

**I am going away to Germany, next week, so there wont be a chapter till i come back. Sorry. I will try to write something on the plane or at the hotel so i can post it as soon as i get back.**


	6. Early release

The door to Tasha's room was thrown open, and she groaned.

'God, not again. Why wont you let me sleep in peace?'

'Shut up, Romanov. Get up.' Tasha sat upright at the very un-Maria-ish, masculine voice. Well this was different, she thought to herself. Maybe she wasn't dreaming this time.

Tasha quickly got up, and put on her tennis shoes, before walking up to the guard at her door.

'Where are you taking me?' Tasha asked, confused.

The guard just grumbled, 'You're one lucky son of a bitch. Not many can spring an early release from the SHU.'

Tasha only grew more confused, as the guard took her through the empty halls of the prison.

'Where is everyone?'

'Having breakfast. You wont have time to eat, gotta wait till lunch,' the guard replied.

'Why, what are we doing?' The guard ignored her question.

Where was she going? Tasha wiped the confusion off her face. She was nothing if not adaptable, she could roll with it.

Once they had reached her empty cell, the guard commanded, 'Get your wash stuff, and another change of clothes.'

Tasha raised her eyebrow in question, but did as he asked, before she was once again taken away.

The guard took her down a familiar route, till he stopped outside the shower room.

'Shower, get dressed, I'll be waiting outside.'

Tasha went in and found the room empty. Picking a stall at random, she quickly unchanged, and stood under the shower. The water was freezing, but she didn't care. She hadn't had a proper shower in a week, and she was happy to wash away the layer of grime that covered her. She took her time, just for the satisfaction of making the guard wait, and once she was done, she dried herself and got changed. She stood in front of the mirror, and towled her hair as dry as she could. Once it was done, she took in her appearance. She had dark circles beneath her eyes, and her skin was pale. Her hair lied flat against her head, slightly curling at the ends. She looked a mess. She hoped Maria didn't see her like this.

There was a bang at the door, followed by a 'hurry up!' Tasha sighed, and picked up her things, before leaving the shower room. The guard stood waiting, looking slightly annoyed. Tasha smirked.

'Come on,' he said gruffly, before taking her down a new hallway. Breakfast seemed to be coming to a finish, and more inmates had begun filtering in through the prison. They had just spotted Morello, who looked slightly surprised at seeing her out the SHU.

'Morello,' the guard said, taking Tasha's shower things. 'Take these back to E14.' Morello took the things and quickly walked off. Tasha hid her surprise, apparently they weren't going back to the cell block. She knew it was pointless asking where they were going again, so she just followed silently.

Finally, they reached their destination. She was led into a room. It held two chairs, and the wall they were facing was separated by glass. On the other side, she could see more chairs and another door. What was going on? The guard sat her down on one of the chairs.

'Wait here.' The guard left with out a backward glance, and Tasha was alone. Sighing, Tasha made herself as comfortable as she could in the had chairs, and looked around the room again. In the far corner of each room, was a security camera, both trained on her. She sent who ever was watching a smirk, and flipped them off. After a couple of seconds, she saw the camera light blink off. What ever she was doing here, she was doing it in private. Tasha just raised an eyebrow to herself, and stared blankly into the glass separation, her eyes switching focus between the room and her reflection staring back at her.

* * *

><p>Maria chewed slowly on her food, trying to ignore the taste. It had been three days since she had seen Tasha, and she was bored, if nothing else. Turns out, prison was pretty uneventful. She still had to wait another week before being assigned a job to do, so she spent her time lying on her bunk reading, and ignoring peoples stares.<p>

Finishing her food, she stood up to place her tray by the bin. On her way back, she was intercepted by a guard. Maria raised her brow in question.

'Hill, come with me.'

Maria nodded, and followed the guards quick pace. She didn't bother asking where they were taking her, the guards were never exactly forthcoming with information. She was lead to a room, and as she stepped in, she saw -

'Tasha?' Maria exclaimed.

Tasha grinned, and patted the seat beside her. Maria sat down, and the guard left.

'It's about time. I've been waiting for ages!'

Maria grinned, before asking, 'How was it?'

Tasha didn't have to ask what she was talking about.

'Mind numbingly boring. It didn't help that I couldn't sleep,' Tasha admitted.

Maria frowned. 'Nightmares?'

Tasha gave her an odd look, that Maria couldn't decipher. 'Something like that. Don't ask,' she added when she saw Maria about to say something.

Maria nodded, she knew not to press about peoples dreams in their line of work. It wasn't pleasant, considering what they did while they were awake would seem like a nightmare to most people. What they conjured in their minds were even worse.

'So, how's it been in the prison?' Tasha asked.

Before Maria could answer, the door on the other side of the glass opened, and both their eyes snapped to look at it.

Both their eyes widened when they saw the stern glare facing them.

'Pepper?'

* * *

><p>Pepper, Tony and Steve stood facing them, each with a different look on their faces. Pepper looked slightly agitated and annoyed, Tony looked amused, and Steve was just confused.<p>

'Natasha, Maria.' Pepper greeted in a icy voice.

Maria glanced at Tasha, and her face said it all. They were screwed.

'What were you thinking?!' Pepper exclaimed, sitting down. 'Getting your self arrested!'

Tasha smirked, despite herself. 'What did you expect us to do? Take out the task force coming to arrest us? Some how, I don't think that would have gained us the public's trust.'

Tony laughed and Pepper shot him a glare.

'And pleading guilty at the trial, that helped?' Pepper shot back.

'Pepper, we would never have won that trial, it was decided before we even set foot in the court room,' Maria argued, feebly.

Steve interrupted this time, 'But you didn't even try! How do you think that looks?'

Maria sighed. 'Look, with us in here, Congress thinks they've won. That takes the heat off you, so you can deal with Hydra. Yes, we have to put up with their smug asses from now on, but its better than them gunning for you at every turn.'

Pepper sighed. 'I guess I'm going to have to find a new Human Resources Director.'

Maria smiled apologetically, 'Sorry about that, I missed my first day.'

Steve was staring intently at Tasha before he said, 'Natasha, what happened to you? We tried to come see you earlier, but they wouldn't let us. It took a lot of persuasion to even get this meeting.'

Tasha had the tact to look slightly bashful. 'Um, on our second day, we were sent to solitary. I got a longer time than Maria, and even then, they sprung me out early, this morning.'

Tony laughed, 'Really? On you second day? You guys don't mess around.'

Tasha laughed with him, but Maria shook her head, 'Well, it wont be happening again. Will it, Tasha?' Maria looked pointedly at Tasha, and she nodded with a smirk.

Pepper just sighed. 'You two are going to give me an aneurysm.'

Maria and pepper laughed, before there was a banging on the door on Pepper's side.

'That's it. Times up,' came a shout from the other side of the door.

Pepper looked warily at the door before looking at Maria and Tasha. 'We're working on getting you out, just lay low for now, and don't cause any trouble.'

'Don't bother,' Tasha replied quickly. 'You saw what this place's defences are like. Don't think we're here by anything other than our own choice. And when we get bored of staying here, well...'

Tasha let the insinuation linger in the air. Pepper looked slightly worried, before masking her face.

'Just don't get into too much trouble,' Pepper warned.

Tasha grinned, and put her hand to her chest in mock indignation. 'Please! This is me we're talking about, would I ever do such a thing?'

Pepper laughed. 'You're right. Maria, don't let Tasha get into too much trouble.'

Everyone laughed, and Maria smirked. 'Wouldn't dream of it.'

There was another bang on the door, and they quickly stood up, and left, shooting a good bye as they did so.

Maria and Tasha were left looking at a black room.

'Well that went better than planned,' Tasha grinned, before standing up and stretching her legs.

Maria hummed in agreement. 'Yes, it could have gone a lot worse.'

The door behind them opened, and they both turned to attention. It was the same guard as before, and he motioned for them to follow.

'Ready to join the rest of us misfit delinquents?' Maria asked.

Tasha smirked.

'Born ready.'

* * *

><p><strong>Hey, im soo sorry for making you wait, and this being a short chapter. I haven't really been in a good place to write anything, good or otherwise, and im still struggling with it but i managed to churn this one out. Sorry. Hope its not too bad.<strong>


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